NINE PDP GOVS FLOAT NEW PARTY, APPLY FOR REGISTRATION Baring any last minute hitch, a new political party will berth in the already charged Nigerian political turf this week. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed on Wednesday that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and some Governors of the crisis-ridden ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have applied for the registration of a group, Peoples Progressive Movement (PPM), as a political party. The commission said it is processing the application. Kayodu Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, disclosed this to our correspondent on phone. Information has it that among the Governors who are promoting the new political association are Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State. The five Governors have been in the vanguard of dissent within the mainstream PDP. They have been moving round the country to “consult” with past leaders to “save the country’s nascent democracy.” Beside the five, there are also indications that Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Governor of Taraba may have decided to stake their political lot with the yet to be registered party. A former INEC National Commisioner, Mohammed Abubakar, a lawyer who is a close political ally of Atiku, filed the papers at INEC on behalf of the group. It was also reliably gathered that Atiku may likely pursue his presidential ambition on the party’s platform when it comes on board. INEC chairman’s spokesman on Wednesday debunked insinuations that the commission refused to register the new group. He also denied that INEC refused to respond to protest letters written by promoters of the political association. According to Idowu, “There is an application from the group, and you know that there is a procedure for the registration of a political party; the commission is doing that in conformity with the Electoral Act. “It is not true that the commission has not responded to their protest letter, we sent them a response that their application is being processed,” he added.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 13:37:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015